Stevenage

Stevenage's population grew in the decade to 2011. Data from the census also show there were changes in religion, housing tenure and marriage.

The population reached nearly 84,000

In the 10 years leading up to the latest census, the population of Stevenage increased by 5.3%, from about 79,700 to 84,000.

The addition of about 4,200 people means this area's population increased at a slower rate than the total population of England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Stevenage was home to, on average, 23 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was higher than the average across Eastof England

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across Eastof England, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Stevenage

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Stevenage increased by two years, from 35 to 37 years.

This suburban area had a lower average age than Eastof England and remained slightly younger than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The fall in age was because of an increase of just over 2,300 people between the ages of 40 and 49 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by just under 3,000.

About 16% of people in Stevenage are aged between 40 and 49 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, East and Stevenage by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Rise in rate of unemployment

The percentage of Stevenage residents that were unemployed increased from 2.9% to 4.8% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

In 2011, just under 6 in 10 (59%) people aged 16 to 74 said they were employed, compared with 60% in 2001. The percentage of Stevenage residents that were self-employed increased from 7.2% to 8.6%.

The proportion of unemployed people increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 2.6% in 2001 to 3.8% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 3.4% to 4.4%.

The rate of unemployment in Stevenage increased by 1.9 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 in Stevenage, Eastof England and England that said they were unemployed, March 2001 and March 2011

More homes with adult children living with their parents

Stevenage saw Eastof England's largest rise in the proportion of households with adult children living with their parents.

In 2011, just over 1 in 10 (10%) households in Stevenage had only adult children living with their parents, compared with 8.8% in 2001. The percentage with at least one child decreased from 33% to 32%.

Across the region, Rochford saw the next largest increase in the proportion of households with adult children living with their parents (from 11% in 2001 to 12% in 2011).

During this period, Stevenage went from having the 32nd-highest to the twelfth-highest percentage of households with only adult children living with their parents out of 309 English local authority areas.

The proportion of households with only adult children living with their parents was higher than across Eastof England

Percentage of households where a parent lived with their adult children across local authority areas in Eastof England and the average across England, March 2011

Rise in considerably limiting disability

The percentage of Stevenage residents whose day-to-day activities are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability increased from 2.7% to 3.8% in the decade to 2011.

The percentage who reported being limited a little in their day-to-day activities remained close to 6.1%, while the percentage of Stevenage residents whose day-to-day activities are not limited by a long-term health problem or disability decreased from 91% to 90%.

The proportion of people who are considerably limited by a long-term health problem or disability increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 2.7% in 2001 to 3.4% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 3.1% to 3.8%.

The proportion of people who are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability in Stevenage increased by 1.1 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Stevenage, Eastof England and England that reported being considerably limited in their day-to-day activities, March 2001 and March 2011

Religion in Stevenage

The 2011 Census asked a voluntary question about religion. Of those who chose to disclose their religious affiliation, 37% said they had no religion. An increase from 24% in 2001 makes this the fastest-growing religious group in Stevenage.

Across Eastof England, the percentage of people who described themselves as having no religion increased from 18% to 30%, while across England the percentage went from 16% to 27%.

Around 58% of those who disclosed their religion in Stevenage said they were Christian, down from 73% in 2001. About 0.4% said they were Sikh, up from 0.4% 10 years prior.

The percentage of people who did not disclose their religious affiliation fell from 8.9% to 7.2% between the last two censuses.

In Stevenage, 7.2% chose not to disclose their religious affiliation. In East the percentage was 7.8% and across England the percentage was 7.7%.

The population without a religion in Stevenage increased by 12 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, East and Stevenage by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

Rise in private renting

The percentage of households in Stevenage that rented privately increased from 4.7% to 11% in the decade to 2011.

In 2011, just under 3 in 10 (28%) households lived in social housing, compared with 31% in 2001. The percentage of Stevenage households that owned their home decreased from 63% to 58%.

The proportion of privately rented homes increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 8.6% in 2001 to 15% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 9.9% to 17%.

Private renting in Stevenage increased by 6.7 percentage points

Percentage of households in Stevenage, Eastof England and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

More single people in Stevenage

The percentage of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership increased in Stevenage, but at a slower rate than in Welwyn Hatfield (the local authority area that shares the largest boundary with Stevenage).

In Stevenage, the proportion of single people increased from 29% in 2001 to 34% in 2011. During the same period, the proportion in nearby Welwyn Hatfield increased from 31% to 39%.

Across Eastof England, the share of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership increased from 27% to 31%.

The proportion of married people in Stevenage fell from 51% to 46%, while the proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a marriage or civil partner increased from 12% to 13%.

The proportion of people who had never married or entered a civil partnership was higher than across Eastof England

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they were single across local authority areas in Eastof England and the average across England, March 2011

Fewer people worked long hours

The percentage of employed people in Stevenage working more than 49 hours in the week before the census decreased from 12% to 8.6% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

In 2011, just over 1 in 40 (2.8%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked less than 16 hours the previous week, compared with 1.8% in 2001.

The proportion of people working long hours fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 15% in 2001 to 11% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 13% to 10%.

Long hour working in Stevenage decreased by 3.5 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Stevenage, Eastof England and England that said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

Ethnicity in Stevenage

In 2011, 5.8% of the local population said they were from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups. An increase from 2.5% in 2001 makes this the fastest-growing ethnic group in Stevenage.

Across Eastof England, the percentage of residents from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups increased from 2.8% to 5.0%, while across England the percentage went from 5.2% to 8.0%.

Around 88% of people in Stevenage said they were from the White ethnic groups, down from 95% in 2001. About 3.4% said they were from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups, up from 1.2% 10 years prior.

The percentage of residents from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed) rose from 1.4% to 2.7% between the last two censuses.

The population from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups in Stevenage increased by 3.3 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, East and Stevenage by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Stevenage residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 7.3% to 4.6% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just over 8 in 10 (83%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 71% in 2001. The percentage of Stevenage residents that described their health as fair decreased from 22% to 13%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 7.6% in 2001 to 4.7% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Stevenage decreased by 2.8 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Stevenage, Eastof England and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

More single parents

The percentage of households in Stevenage, which comprised a single parent, increased from 10% to 12% in the decade to 2011.

In 2011, just over one in three (34%) households had a married couple, compared with 38% in 2001. The percentage of households in Stevenage, which comprised a cohabiting couple, increased from 9.6% to 11%.

The proportion of single-parent households increased here at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 8.1% in 2001 to 9.5% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 9.5% to 11%.

The percentage of households with a single-parent was higher than across Eastof England

Percentage of households that had a single parent across local authority areas in Eastof England and the average across England, March 2011

Change in unpaid care provision

The percentage of Stevenage residents that provided at least 50 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 1.9% to 2.5% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

The percentage who reported providing between 20 and 49 hours of unpaid care each week remained close to 0.9%.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 1.8% in 2001 to 2.2% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 2.1% to 2.4%.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care in Stevenage remained close to 2.5%

Percentage of usual residents in England, East and Stevenage by care, March 2001 and March 2011

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